The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-08-23
JAMES RoslNsoN,s CAREER.



STANDARD. sat James Robinson, con-
ccdcdly the best bareback rider in the
world. He is under the medium size,
weighing only l2S pounds, and has
just turned his fifty-frst year. AL
though he has acquired great wealth rs
we'll as fame by displaying his skill on
The back of horse. he dresses plainly
and Is modest, unassuming, ond
'ociable. II began my circus career"
said Mr.. Robinson to a reporter last
evening, 'in 1916, when was 0 years
old. ! was then apprcnticcd to a clown
named Gasson. A year or two later
my indcnture papers were made over
to John Bopinson. of Robinson &
Neldred's circus, and it was then that
| began to learn bareback riding.
There was only the performer, Gilroy,
now retired old man living in,Boston,
who could ride bareback and throw
4 somersault at that time. He was
The inventor of the act, all his pre-
decessors being confined to the padded
saddles. l practiced great deal and
learned to do all on horseback that was
lone with the saddle. One terrible fall
nearly cost me my life. was laid up
several months, but after recovery
went at it again and soon become per-
feet. | have fallen many times since
then, but have never been so complete
ly knock out that after running around
the track once or twice to throw off
The dazed feeling did not Jump on
again and complete my business. The
worst falls are those when fall on the
back OF my shoulders, neck, and head.
They wrench me somehow, and feel
heir effect yet under certain states of
l have been in the ring ever
since l was apprenticed In 1856 an
agent for a European circus wrote from
This country to his employers that
ne had seen q man here turn
'umersault on horse's bare back
while the animal was going at full
speed. The proprietors had never
reared of such thing, and wrote back
'arcastically that they supposed the
nan ate piece 0 I beefstake before he
zane down. The agent replied that
what he had written was strictly true,
'ut the man, who was myself. wanted
IN enormous salary. He received in
tructions to engage me at any salary.
md in 1S47 l went to England. After
at Liverpool l went to Ashley's,
It London, and achieved success that
vas simply astonishing. Nothing of
he kind had been dreamed of by the
and they looked upon my
cts as simply marvellous. The story that
had made n failure on the first night
y not having horse broken in for
he occasion, and that then spent two
+ three weeks training one is not cor
ect. took my own horses along and
made no bad breaks. have always
wned my horses, by the way, what
yer circus l might be travelling with.
Kept one horse seventeen years. One
ay in August, 1867, l was in this city
nth show, and just as l was enter |
ig the Empire house l noticed horse
nat knew l wanted. The owner was
Baldwinsville man, whose name ]
annot recall just now, but who al ways
ONES to me when am here. He de-
lined to sell tho animal. saying that he
ms favorite in the family. and I |
ould not be willing to pay what he |
'kcd. asked him to set q price, and he !,
AIMED $3.50. l told him the horse was
line and paid him the money. Ihad
le horse broke in two or three weeks,
Id he was one of the kindest and best
orses for my purposes ever possessed,
1T unfortunately, he went blind two
ears later. The one am riding now
a good one. but exceedingly spirit
d.
"After brilliant career in England,
exhibited in France and Germany and
zen returned to this country. In 1868.
Havana, I was awarded tho cham
on's belt for bareback riding, and 1t
Is never been wrested from me, al
ough there has been several contests.
ne of them occurred in this city in
20, when was with Lent's circus.
sh was my competitor then. Other
rcback riders have learned to turn
mersaults. but they can't do the pi-
uetting and other acts, which arc